SA MPs claimed millions for 16,000 nights over ten years

New data analysis reveals South Australia’s MPs claimed years worth of nights away over the past decade, with taxpayers picking up millions in travel bills.

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South Australian MPs have claimed 16,000 nights and more than $3.5m in a controversial travel allowance in the past 10 years, new analysis shows.

The data dump of country member accommodation allowance claims from 2010 to 2020 – which are currently subject to an investigation by independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander – shows 24 MPs received the allowance over that period.

Premier Steven Marshall on Sunday accepted the resignations of ministers Tim Whetstone, Stephan Knoll and David Ridgway, as well as Upper House President Terry Stephens, arguing scandals around the allowance and other perks had become a distraction for the Government, which needed clear air to focus on the COVID-19 crisis.

Former Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Stephan Knoll resigned over expenses claimed while he was staying with his parents. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

As three new ministers were sworn in on Wednesday, speculation around ongoing concerns about the allowance – for both sides of politics – continued.

The Advertiser has sorted and begun analysing the several thousand claims made by MPs over the past decade.

Incoming Primary Industries Minster David Basham batted away questions about his claims and the reason why he moved from Mount Compass, outside the eligibility zone, to Victor Harbor, where he could claim the allowance, after the 2018 election.

“The reason I moved from my farm was to allow the farm to be run by someone else because I was now an MP,” Mr Basham said.

“I could not run the farm, I did not have the time so I needed to move off the farm to allow it to be run, that is way the way farms work.”

Labor MP Clare Scriven also purchased property – in Port MacDonnell – after the election that made her eligible for the allowance. Ms Scriven was renting in the same town a year out from March 2018 election. She stays in a property she owns in Adelaide when she stays in the city.

It is however, unclear where other members who claim the allowance stay when in Adelaide.

Liberal MP Fraser Ellis – who has conceded doubt around the validity of claims he has made since November 2018 and offered to pay it back to an estimated value of $42,130 – and independent MP Troy Bell are both understood to sometimes stay at Mr Stephens’ Norwood property.

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All three declined to comment about their accommodation arrangements when contacted today. “The ICAC has made a public statement confirming that he has commenced an investigation into the conduct of a number of MPs in respect of claims made by them for payment of the allowance … I am not in a position to respond to your questions at this time,” Mr Ellis said.

Mr Bell said: “While there is an investigation into the allowance I am unable to comment further.”

A survey of the majority of MPs who have claimed the allowance over the past 10 years found they were confident they had done nothing wrong.

Liberal MP Nick McBride who represents the seat of MacKillop said “it is my understanding that I have hopefully done everything correctly”.

“I haven’t been through and checked twice but we will be doing that over the coming days,” he said.